Hydrogel Particle Production Without Cooling Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing hydrogel particles require cooling the droplets, which is not necessary when the gelation temperature of the non-crosslinked hydrogel is 30°C or higher, allowing for production without a cooler as long as the atmosphere is maintained at an outside air temperature.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an aqueous component solution with agar as the gel source, where the gelation temperature is 30°C or higher, producing hydrogel particles without the need for cooling, using a double-fluid nozzle to spray the dispersion into an atmosphere at outside air temperature, resulting in small particle diameter and high sphericity hydrogel particles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional methods are used to produce hydrogel particles, then the particles can be formed, but cooling equipment is required which increases device complexity and production cost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the gelation temperature parameter of the hydrogel from below 30°C to 30°C or higher. This parameter change allows the hydrogel to solidify at ambient temperature without requiring cooling equipment, thereby simplifying the production process and reducing device complexity while maintaining particle formation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the cooling equipment from the production system. By selecting hydrogel materials with gelation temperatures of 30°C or higher, the cooling step is completely eliminated from the production process, reducing device complexity and operational requirements
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the gelation temperature is lowered to below 30°C, then the hydrogel forms more easily, but cooling equipment becomes necessary increasing production complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the gelation temperature parameter to be 30°C or higher, which is the optimal range that allows easy gelation at ambient temperature without requiring cooling systems. This parameter selection resolves the contradiction by making gelation easy while avoiding cooling equipment
3Manufacturing precision
If cooling is applied to solidify droplets, then hydrogel particles are formed, but the process requires additional energy consumption and equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the gelation temperature parameter to 30°C or higher, allowing particle formation through natural solidification at ambient temperature. This eliminates the need for energy-consuming cooling processes while maintaining precise control over particle formation through the inherent gelation properties of the hydrogel
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrogel particles solidify themselves at ambient temperature through their inherent gelation property at 30°C or higher. The system uses its own thermal properties to achieve solidification without external cooling energy input, reducing energy consumption while maintaining manufacturing precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables the production of hydrogel particles without cooling, maintaining high sphericity and small particle diameter, and preventing oil component leakage, suitable for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.
Implementation Method 1
a gel source of non-crosslinked hydrogel, the gelation temperature of the gel source being equal to or higher than 30°C
Implementation Method 2
droplets of the dispersion are cooled to gelate
Data Source
AI summary
A hydrogel particle producing method includes spraying into an atmosphere a dispersion containing an oil component dispersed in an aqueous component solution which contains a gel source of non-crosslinked hydrogel dissolved therein such that formed droplets are cooled to solidify, a gelation temperature of the gel source of non-crosslinked hydrogel being equal to or higher than 30° C.